Backwater
by 88Keys
Summary: Flooded roads lead to trouble for the NCIS team. Co-Winner of the NFA "Teammate Hurt" Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

Backwater

By 88Keys

"A flash-flood warning remains in effect for Rockingham, Page, and Madison Counties until midnight tonight. This rain isn't going to stop any time soon, folks. Roadways may become flooded in a matter of minutes, especially county and back roads. Do not try to cross flooded roadways…"

"Could you turn that radio off?"

Ziva complied, then turned her head towards the back of the car where her teammate sat.

"No holds barred."

"Holds are wrestling moves. Certain holds are banned from some matches. 'No holds barred' would mean that anything goes and no moves are illegal."

"Let me think…umm…oh, yes. 'The whole nine yards.' Nine yards of what?"

"Ammunition. It refers to machine gun belts in World War II aircraft. An enemy target that was particularly hard to destroy would require using the 'whole nine yards' of ammunition. It would indicate a lot of effort. Like pulling out all the stops."

"That is another one! Why would stopping indicate extra effort?"

"Stops are those little knobs on a pipe organ. Pulling them out increases the volume. So if you pull out all the stops, you will get the most volume."

Ziva sighed. "English is such a… playful language. So many double- meanings. The other day, Ducky was explaining to me how to do something. He finished by saying 'and Bob's your uncle!'"

From his place in the backseat, McGee shrugged. "That's a British saying. I never understood it either."

"I believe, roughly translated, it means 'shut up and let your driver concentrate when he's trying to navigate through a monsoon," Tony said tersely, his eyes never leaving the road. Or what he could see of the road.

They were driving back from a crime scene in rural Virginia. They had managed to finish collecting evidence just before the next round of torrential spring rains had come down. It was still pouring, thundering against the roof of the car and rendering the windshield wipers nearly useless. Only able to see a few feet in front of him, Tony had slowed the car down to a crawl.

"Shouldn't we be back by now anyway, Tony?" Ziva asked. "I thought you said you knew a shortcut."

"I do know a shortcut, Zee-va," Tony growled. "But since I've had to turn back three times because the roads were flooded, it's not really a shortcut anymore."

"We could play the Alphabet Game," McGee suggested.

"Sure, Probie, great idea! I spy, with my little eye….rain! Because that's all we can see." Tony resisted the urge to turn around and dole out a head slap.

"The Alphabet Game?" Ziva asked?

"It's one of those games parents make up to keep their kids from fighting during car trips. You take turns-" McGee began to explain, but was silenced by Tony's glare in the rearview mirror. "I'll explain later."

Ziva peered out the window, trying to look for landmarks that might help Tony as he drove. "It will be dark soon. This gravel road could wash out very easily in this rain. Do you have any idea if we are close to the highway or not?"

"If we're where I think we are, it should be just a couple of miles ahead."

"Where you 'think' we are?"

"Would you like to drive, Probie? 'Cause I'll stop this car right now-"

"Tony! STOP! WATER!"

Tony slammed the breaks. The car skidded to a stop, just inches from the rushing river that had suddenly appeared in front of them. Water splashed up over the front of the hood.

"I don't remember the highway being close to the river," McGee commented.

"I don't remember there being a river here, period," Ziva said.

"That's because it was a creek a few hours ago." Tony shifted the car into reverse and gunned the engine. The tires spun uselessly in the mud and water. He tried again and again, with the same result.

"Fantastic," Ziva mumbled.

"Probie! Get out and push."

"Why me?" McGee whined.

"Because I'm the senior field agent, and I say so. Hurry, before the water kills the engine."

McGee sighed and opened the backdoor. He stepped out into an inch of water, which got progressively deeper as he moved to the front of the car. By the time he was in front, it was up to his knees. The rest of him was soaked from the rain still pouring down from the sky.

He placed his hands on the front of the car and braced himself, but he couldn't get much leverage while standing in the mud and water. He pushed as best he could while Tony hit the gas, but the car went nowhere. After a few tries, the engine sputtered and died.

McGee looked down and frowned. The water that had moments ago been at his knees was now up to his thighs. It was rising fast, too fast. He grabbed the side of the car by the wheel well and tried to pull himself back towards the passenger side door. The force of the water was surprising. It seemed to push him against the car and try to pull him away from it at the same time.

Even through the pouring rain, he could hear the muffled sounds of Tony's cursing inside the car. He put his face as close to the window as he could.  
"Guys! The water's rising really fast! I think we need to get out of here!"

He could see Ziva struggling with the door, but the force of the water held it shut. He managed to grab the handle and pull while she pushed. The door opened for a couple of seconds, then slammed shut again. Water rushed in.

"The evidence!"

"Leave it," Tony instructed. He felt the car shift slightly to the left. "McGee's right. We need to get out of here."

She pushed and McGee pulled again, and they were able to get the door open long enough for her to slip out. The water that was waist-deep on McGee came up to Ziva's chest. She gasped as the cold hit her. She tried to push her way out, to higher ground, but the force was too strong. She couldn't even keep her feet on the ground.

"The roof!" McGee shouted above the noise of the rain. He gave her a shove from behind as she used the edge of the window as a toehold. She was up in seconds, fighting to stay balanced and not slide off the wet car roof. She felt McGee slide up next to her, panting from the effort.

Being on the leeward side of the car made it easier for Tony to get his door open. He grabbed Ziva's hand as she climbed up onto the roof and was about to climb up himself when he felt the car tilt again, hard to the left. It was too unstable to offer protection from the rising water.

"The trees!" he shouted. Ziva seemed to understand. The trees that lined the country road would be the only place to escape the rising flood.

Ziva crouched on her toes, taking a moment to steady herself. She extended up to her full height, and with a helpful shove from McGee, managed to grab an overhanging branch. She used a lower branch to push off with her feet and propel her up into the tree.

McGee dropped to his hands and knees, knowing that he would be thrown from the car roof if he stood. For a moment, he and Tony were face-to-face.

"Go!" Tony demanded. McGee peered through the rain, trying to find a branch sturdy enough to hold him. They seemed just out of reach beyond the end of his arm. He stretched out and up and was surprised to feel his hand wrap around rough, wet wood. Pulling himself up was not easy. His arm muscles seemed to protest under the strain, and he cursed himself for not doing extra pull-ups at the gym. Finally, with a helpful pull from Ziva, he found himself draped over a strong branch.

McGee wrapped his legs around the limb and steadied himself. He leaned back towards the car. Through the blinding rain, he could just make out Tony leaning towards him. The water was almost completely covering the car now. They didn't have much time left.

Just then, McGee heard a loud Ithump./I A large piece of driftwood had slammed into the car, knocking it sideways. He saw Tony flail backwards, away from the tree.

McGee made a desperate, clumsy grab. Somehow, his hand found Tony's wrist. He pulled as hard as he could, but he was off-balance now. Tony was trying to steady himself. Trying to push himself up. The rushing water finally overtook the car completely, knocking his feet out from under him. He fell face-first. Water stung his eyes and burned his nostrils. Tony could feel the car underneath him and he tried to use to push off and up.

Tony's weight, combined with the terrific force of the water, threatened to pull McGee's arm out of socket. The pain was intense, but still he held on. II won't let go. I can't let go./I He thought he felt Ziva, pulling on the back of his jacket, trying to help. He definitely felt Tony slipping…too much water…

"Tony!" he shouted above the roar of the creek. "Kick your feet! Push off of the car!"

Time seemed to slow down. All he could feel was the pain in his arm. All he could hear was the roar of the wind and water. He saw Tony's face, determined.

Then in an instant, his hand slipped away. He saw the surprised look on Tony's face as he flew backwards. Then he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Eeek! Sorry about the confusion! This story is not a one-shot. It's three chapters. I just got busy and forgot to continue posting! There is one more chapter after this one, which will hopefully go up tomorrow. Thanks for all the reviews!

* * *

The dim light gradually faded into total darkness, and still the rains came. McGee just stared at the place where Tony had gone under, mentally berating himself. _Why did you let him go? Why didn't you go in after him? _The logical part of his brain knew that it would have been a futile effort, and that he himself would most likely have drowned, too. But the emotional part of him was stubborn and ready to wage war with logic.

_He wouldn't have let you drown._

"McGee." He could barely hear Ziva's voice, drawing him out of his guilty solitude. "Your feet. You need to climb higher."

He turned his head up towards her, confused. "What?"

"The water is rising. It is covering your feet. You need to get higher up," she explained patiently.

McGee looked down. The water was indeed covering his feet and was creeping towards his calves. He hadn't even felt it.

"Oh."

"I believe these branches will hold us both."

He blinked a few times, processing the words. How could she be so calm, so logical, when Tony was dead? _Not dead. Missing. _He could almost hear Tony's voice in his ears. _"Don't pick out my casket just yet, Probie._

"OK," he replied, shouting above the wind. "I'm coming up."

It wasn't far to climb, as Ziva's branch was just above his. But the bark was slippery from rain, and the tree shook in the wind. He stood carefully, using Ziva's branch to help balance, then reached higher to pull himself up. He felt her hand on his arm, steadying him. Then he was up, sitting on two sturdy branches, with a third at his back and Ziva to his right. It was almost like a chair, and reasonably comfortable.

He could hear Ziva saying something, softly, that sounded like "Bore day an em is."

"What did you say?"

_"Boruch dayan emes._ It is a Hebrew blessing, usually said upon receiving bad news. Like the death of a friend."

"We don't know that he's dead," McGee said defensively.

Ziva stared out at the seemingly endless water. "It would be…difficult to survive."

McGee leaned back and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, barely above a whisper.

"What?"

He opened his eyes but couldn't look at her. "I said I'm sorry. I shouldn't have….I let him go…" A tear rolled down his cheek, indistinguishable from the raindrops already dotting it.

"It was not your fault, McGee."

"I should have gone in after him."

"Then you would both be gone, and I would be up here all alone." She patted his hand with hers, almost shyly. "Don't blame yourself."

He turned his head towards her. "How can you be so calm? So…" he trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Emotionless?" she finished for him.

"That's not what I was going to say."

"But it is what you were thinking, yes? I know that is what you all think. And in a way, you are correct. I guess I am… used to losing people I care about." She hoped he couldn't hear the tremor in her voice.

He didn't know what to say, so he gently placed his hand over hers instead. All he could think was how unfair it was. _No one should have to get used to that._

* * *

McGee didn't realize he had fallen asleep until the silence woke him. The rain and wind had stopped. The eerie stillness was punctuated only by the gentle lapping of waves against the base of the tree and the occasional small splash of who-knows-what falling into the water. Ziva was still at his right, asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. He looked around for a moment, trying to find Tony, and then he remembered. The car. The water. Tony's face as he went under. It hadn't been a bad dream, after all.

He gradually became aware that he was shivering. A lot. The temperature had dropped sharply. They needed to warm up soon.

"Ziva," he said, shaking her gently.

"Hmmmm?"

"Wake up. It stopped raining."

"You woke me up to tell me that?"

"We need to figure out a way out of here."

"What time is it?"

McGee pressed the light-up button on his watch, which, thankfully, was waterproof. "Almost nine." He peered out into the darkness. "The water is calm now. Maybe we could swim. We were pretty close to the edge of it when we went in."

"That was hours ago," Ziva pointed out, more awake now. "And God-knows what is in the water. Besides, it is a bit cold for swimming, yes?" She hugged herself and rubbed her arms with her hands, trying to get warm.

"Well, surely someone is looking for us by now." He noticed her shivering. "You know, if we sat closer together, we would probably be warmer."

Even through the darkness, he could almost see her grinning. "McGee," she said coyly. "Are you coming out to me?"

"Coming on," he corrected automatically. "Coming out is something totally different."

"So you are coming on to me then."

"No!" he protested, then remember she was teasing. "I just… we're both freezing. We may be here awhile." He moved around until his back was resting against the strong trunk of the tree. "Plenty of room, if you want to join me."

Ziva pushed herself back until her back was resting against McGee's chest. Her head fit just underneath his chin. He wrapped his arms around her. It felt a bit awkward but he reminded himself that this was a survival situation.

McGee had never thought of Ziva as weak or frail, or as someone who needed protection. Next to Gibbs, she was the most confident and capable person he had ever met. Yet, as she leaned back against him, he was acutely aware of how small she was. She shivered intensely, much harder than he was. Or maybe he just couldn't feel his own shivering anymore.

Finally, he could stand the awkward silence no longer. "What are you thinking about?"

"The desert," she replied through chattering teeth.

"The desert? Why?"

"Because it is warm and dry. The opposite of here."

He chuckled in spite of himself. "Yeah, I guess so." He sensed she was getting tired. Too cold. He had to keep her talking.

"Tell me about it."

"Ab-b-bout what?"

"About the desert."

Ziva closed her eyes and concentrated on the warm sandy landscape of her homeland. It was so clear and comforting in her mind. "W-well…as I said, it is warm and dry. S-s-sandy…the sand and rocks contrast each other, in lovely colors. At n-n-night, the moonlight makes everything glow. Every c-c-cactus, every rock, stands out…it is amazing." Her voice gained strength as she remembered. "Most people would say it is desolate. A wasteland. But, to me, it is beautiful….I guess your home always is, in a way."

"I guess so."

More silence. McGee's thoughts turned to Tony. He kept remembering the surprised look on Tony's face when the water overpowered him. He couldn't have known when he woke up that morning what would happen. That he would…

_Die. The word is die_ his stubborn, logical brain reminded him.

It never ceased to amaze him. How someone could be alive, full of hopes and dreams and feelings, one moment, and dead the next. Everything changes in an instant, without warning. Just like Paula Cassidy.

"Just like Kate," he mumbled softly.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"I said, 'just like Kate.' Tony. He's…gone, just like Kate is…gone."

"Tell me ab-b-bout her."

McGee paused, remembering. He was a bit surprised. Ziva had never asked about Kate before. Maybe she sensed their reluctance to talk about her. For the three men of the team, it was easier to play macho and pretend that there wasn't a raw, gaping wound that still ached inside each of them.

"McGee?"

"Sorry. Um, well…K-k-kate was attractive, intelligent… g-good sense of humor. Stronger than she looked." He winced involuntarily as he remembered their sparring session on the mat.

"W-was she like me?"

"Like you? No, not really." McGee's eyes widened, and he rushed to correct himself. "I m-m-mean, not that you're not attractive, or intelligent, or a good agent…"

Ziva chuckled. "How were we different, then?

McGee thought for a moment. The differences in the two women were obvious, and yet, they were hard to put into words. "Kate was…not as sure of herself as you are. I think she always felt like she had to prove herself. She didn't have your-"

"Arrogance?"

"I was going to say c-c-confidence."

"You miss her still, yes?"

"Yeah," he said, softly. He swallowed back the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. "I'm t-t-tired of losing people, Ziva."

Ziva leaned back, even closer to McGee's chest. "So am I," she sighed, the sound floating away over the still water, into the darkness.

* * *

"They should have been back by now," Gibbs growled. He tried Tony's cell phone again. "Still no answer."

"I just got off the phone with the local sheriff's office," Director Shepherd called as she came down the stairs into the bullpen. "He said they left between four and four-thirty, just before the big rain hit. It just let up about fifteen minutes ago."

"Call him back and tell him to-"

"-get local search and rescue out looking for them. Already did. They've got searchers in trucks and in boats, combing the area looking for anyone who is in trouble. But it's a big area."

Gibbs began gathering up his things. "We need-"

"-a helicoptor? A Navy chopper is scrambling out of Bolling in about fifteen minutes." Jen glanced at her watch. "If you hurry, you can be on it."

In lieu of thanks, Gibbs gave her a hint of a smile as he headed towards the elevator. She understood. The thanks could wait until all her agents were safely back at NCIS.


	3. Chapter 3

The ascent back to consciousness was always an interesting journey

The ascent back to consciousness was always an interesting journey. Sometimes the sight came back first. Other times, it was sound that brought him back to the land of the living.

This time, it was the sensation of lying on something hard. Hard and cold, but not the ground. More like metal. _Metal? Why would I be lying on metal?_ He was face down, the metal touching his cheek and palms.

Then he noticed the cold. Man, he was _cold_. Could enough that all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. That probably wasn't a good idea, but he was so cold, he almost didn't care.

The pain kept him awake, though.. It wasn't intense; more like a dull ache over his whole body. Like he had been banged up…somehow. What had happened? He forced himself to think back. He remembered being in a car…with Ziva. And McGee. And rain. Lots and lots of rain.

_Water!_ He pushed himself up now, fully awake, and immediately wished he hadn't. His head throbbed, and the world seemed to shift dizzily to the right. There was also a dull ache in his left arm that he hadn't noticed before, probably because of the numbing cold. He lowered himself back down and focused instead on scanning his memories.

He remembered getting out of the car, in the rain. Climbing…he was climbing on the car…reaching out to McGee….

"McGee!" he shouted, suddenly more awake than he had ever been in his life. "Ziva!"

The water had taken him. Pulled him away from the submerged car and tossed him around like a rag doll. He remembered branches slapping him in the face. A large piece of driftwood, catching him painfully in the ribs. Water, choking him. Trying to swim, but so disoriented… couldn't see, couldn't think, couldn't breathe…couldn't last much longer. Anthony DiNozzo, drowned in a backwater flood…

He had caught a glimpse of something large and dark looming ahead. It was much larger than a tree. He barely had time to brace for the impact before he slammed into…whatever it was, with such force that his vision turned black. He fought to stay conscious, grasping at this large, _solid_ object that seemed to be unaffected by the raging water. The water, still pulling at him, not ready to give up its prey yet. He clawed and pulled and kicked with all his might, almost willing himself out of the water…still pulling, fighting, coughing…then the blackness came again and he could not fight it.

"McGee!" he called again, panic rising inside him. Had his teammates suffered the same fate? It was too dark to see beyond the edge of this…place. He examined the surface as best he could in the darkness. It looked like a gently sloped metal roof, like the kind that would be on a barn or shed. He slid as close to the edge as he dared. The water was calmer now, but still lapping less than a foot from where he now was.

_So cold. Have to stay warm._ He could do nothing for Ziva or McGee at the moment. It was too dark, and he was too weak to try and swim.

With shaking hands, he pulled off his wet jacket, socks, shoes, and shirt, one piece at a time. The outer layers had begun to dry in the cool night air, but his shirt and socks were still soaked. The pain in his arm intensified as he wrung the water from his clothes and redressed. He moved higher up, away from the water, and lied down, curled into a tight ball. There was nothing more he could do, except wait. Wait and hope that someone would find him, and that his teammates were OK.

_"I hate waiting,"_ he thought gloomily.

* * *

"Yep. Like looking for a needle in a haystack," Lt. Marks said for at least the third time. Gibbs glared at the back of the pilot's head, imagining how satisfying a good head-slap would be right at the moment.

They were flying low over the Shenandoah River Valley, supposedly looking for the missing NCIS agents. They had already stopped once to pick up a family who had taken refuge on the roof of their house and move them to higher ground. Gibbs felt frustrated by the delay, even though he knew it was the right thing to do.

"They're saying it's the worst flood in twenty years," Lt. Brenner, the co-pilot commented. "The Shenandoah is out, and all the little rivers and creeks are overflowing. More rain on the way tomorrow."

Gibbs sighed and turned back to his post at the window, scanning for, well, anything. It did seem like a futile effort. They had only seen the stranded family because the father had the good sense to bring a flashlight up with him. Gibbs didn't know if his team had any of their supplies with them. If they had to abandon the car, it was unlikely. If they were still in the car…

_…the car is probably under ten feet of water by now._

"It's just too dark, Agent Gibbs," Brenner explained. "And we're running low on fuel. If we don't see anything in the next forty minutes or so, we'll have to head back and wait until daylight."

Gibbs rubbed his face with his hands. "Take another pass," he said, the usual strength in his voice now diminished. "Focus on the area between the town and the highway. That's where they would have been traveling, and it's the most flooded right now."

Marks nodded. He was pretty sure it was a waste of time, but he knew he would do the same if it were his men stranded out there.

As they passed over the darkened countryside, Gibbs noticed a flash of white from far below him. It wasn't very big, and could be anything, really.

"Go back! Turn around!" Gibbs called to the pilot. "I thought I saw something off the starboard side!"

Marks glanced at Brenner, who just shrugged. Obediently, he made a turn and came back around, trying to fly as close to where he had been during the last pass as possible. Gibbs stared, his eyes scanning the horizon as his gut told him he was on the right track.

"There! I saw it again. Go back about fifty yards and hover!"

When they were in place, Gibbs opened the door and leaned out as far as he could. The beam of his high-powered flashlight sliced through the darkness, illuminating trees, and water, and more trees.

_Please,_ he prayed silently.

Trees, water, the edge of a building, and then, there it was! The flash of white.

"I saw it too!" the Brenner exclaimed. "What do you think it is?"

Gibbs couldn't stop his lips from curling into a smile. "It's the white lettering on a NCIS jacket. It's one of my agents."

As the co-pilot made his daring ascent down the rescue cable towards the barn roof, Gibbs' smile was faded. What if it was just a jacket? What if the person inside the jacket was dead? And why was there only one jacket below them? Where was the rest of the team?

He waited anxiously for what seemed like hours as the basket was raised. Finally it got close enough that he could make out two forms, both of which appeared to be alive. The rescued victim was male, with short hair…

_Tony_. Gibbs grabbed his agents arms and pulled as Brenner pushed from behind. Together, they managed to haul him from the basket into the helicopter.

Gibbs frowned. Tony was just lying there. Not talking, not laughing, just shivering violently. Brenner swiftly began removing the agent's wet clothing.

"He's either close to or already has hypothermia," Brenner explained. "We need to get him warmed up."

Quickly, they removed his clothing and wrapped him in warm blankets. Tony whimpered when they jostled his left arm. Gibbs could see that he was conscious, but there didn't seem to be much recognition of where he was or what was happening. He leaned over the younger man.

"Fine time to go for a swim, DiNozzo."

Tony blinked a couple of times, and finally focused on Gibbs' face. "B-Boss?"

"Take it easy, Tony. We're taking you to a hospital right now."

Tony looked confused for a moment. He crinkled his brow, as if trying to remember. It came to him quickly. He made a grab for Gibbs' arm with his left hand, winced, then pulled it back towards his body.

"No."

Brenner intervened and gently examined Tony's left arm. "I think it's broken, or at least sprained. I'm going to splint it for now. We'll have you to the emergency room in no time, Agent DiNozzo."

"No," Tony said again, more forcefully.

"What do you mean, no?" Gibbs asked.

Tony looked him in the eye. "Probie….Ziva. F-f-find them."

"Where are they? Tell us what happened."

Tony concentrated again. It was as if his brain had frozen along with the rest of him. "The c-c-car…water. W-water on the road."

"There was water over the road?"

Tony nodded and closed his eyes.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs gave the lightest of head slaps, but it was enough. Tony's eyes opened again.

"We t-t-tried to get to the t-trees…I f-f-fell in."

"So Ziva and McGee are in the trees?"

Tony nodded.

"Where, Tony? What road were you on?"

Tony was silent for so long, Gibbs thought he had fallen asleep. He was about to employ the head slap again when Tony opened his eyes.

"Mill. Old Mill Road. Heading east, t-towards the h-h-highway."

Gibbs looked at Brenner, who nodded his understanding. "Marks! Head for Old Mill Road! They're along it somewhere, probably in the trees!"

* * *

"Ziva?"

No answer.

"Ziva?"

Silence.

"Ziva…please…"

"Mmmmm?"

"Do you hear that?"

Ziva opened her eyes and tried to listen, but it was hard to focus on anything besides going back to sleep, where it was warm. "No…"

"I th-think it's a ch-ch-chopper."

_We have to get their attention._ He didn't bother to voice it, instead saving his energy to be put to use signaling the chopper. But with what? His brain felt muddled and slow. Their black clothes wouldn't be of much help. They didn't have a flashlight, and both their cell phones were dead. _We need light…_

With shaking hands, McGee fumbled with his watch. Finally his clumsy fingers found the right button. The face glowed bright green, temporarily blinding him. It was such a small light; would it be enough? He held it up above his head, turning the face towards the sky. Ziva removed her hat and waved it, hoping against hope that the motion would be noticed.

The chopper flew over them in a roar of noise and chilling wind. It went past, continuing on to the north.

"No…" he whispered, his throat hoarse.

But the sound of the blades did not die away completely. To his amazement, he helicopter banked to the left and flew back, stopping directly above them.

"NCIS agents! Standby for emergency evacuation!"

"Your boss is up there!" the lieutenant shouted over the noise of the blades as he helped McGee into the basket. Ziva had gone up first. McGee felt more dread than relief at this news. _How am I going to tell Gibbs that I lost Tony?_

When they had finally made the slow ascent to the inside of the chopper, McGee scanned the inside. It seemed crowded. Gibbs was there, tending to Ziva. And there was someone else, sitting up wrapped in blankets, with a splint on his arm.

McGee's eyes widened in shock. "Tony?" he gasped.

Tony flashed that unmistakable DiNozzo grin. "You didn't really think you could get rid of me that easily, did you, McGee?"

McGee just stared, too stunned to respond.

I know you want to be Senior Field Agent, Probie, but you're going to have to earn it."

Lt. Brenner ushered him to the only empty space left in the chopper, which was next to Tony. McGee looked down as Brenner started removing his wet clothes.

"I'm s-s-sorry, Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Quit blaming yourself again, McGee. There was nothing you could have done."

"B-but, I let go…"

"No, I slipped. Besides, if I hadn't, we both would have ended up in the water."

McGee searched Tony's eyes. There was no malice there. DiNozzo was a real pain sometimes, but he was loyal and forgiving when it mattered.

"If you two are done making eyes at each other," Gibbs interjected, "maybe one of you could tell me where my evidence is."

It was all he could do to hide a smile at the stricken looks on both their faces.

THE END


End file.
